With 648 summits in 2017, second only to the 665 completed in 2013, Everest is as busy as ever. While the number of climbers continues to rise, so too do the costs.
Alan Arnette has brought out his annual review of the Everest climbing scene, and as ever it makes for some fascinating reading.
Alan concludes that the baseline cost to climb Everest is currently around $30,000 minimum, with most climbers paying $45,000 and up. However the price can be substantially higher, with the luxury high end of the market paying as much as $115,000 to companies such as Furtenbach Adventuires. These luxury companies offer “flash climbs” and pre-acclimatisation options as well as typically using more expensive western guides.
The major trends from 2016 have continued, with prices rising more quickly on the Chinese side (at 12%) than on the Nepalese side (at 6%). Despite this it remains a bit less expensive to climb from Tibet, with the median price hovering at $38,500, still $3,000 less than climbing from Nepal.
Nepali owned and operated companies continue to offer the most budget friendly packages on both sides of the mountain, while western tour companies typically charge substantially more per climber.
Climbing completely independently, without joining a team, is still possible, but Alan explains that his figures suggest that “almost no-one does this” due to the associated cost and higher risk.
Over on his website Alan breaks down in great detail how the money a typical climber pays is spent, on travel, permits, insurance, supplies and tour guides. Check it out in order to get the full break down.
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